Garment press



Wi 3U, 1950 A. D. BENSON 2,509,626

@ARME-NT PRESS Filed Feb. 19, 194e TTOENEV Patented May 30, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention has to do with a garment press and it is a general object of the invention to provide a press particularly useful for pressing garments such as trousers.

It is desirable to maintain certain garments or items of wearing apparel in a neatly pressed condition this being particularly true of mens trousers and womens slacks. It is common to press such garments occasionally with an iron and then hang them when not in use so that they hang straight and maintain, as far as possible, the pressed condition.

It is a general object of this invention to provide a garment press in which garments can be stored or placed overnight so that a press initially established can be effectively maintained. With the press that I have provided the garment does not merely hang in a suitable position but the creases established .by pressing are tightly held so that when the garment is removed for use the original press has been maintained.

A general object of the invention is to provide a device of the general character referred to which can be hung in a lcloset or the like in much the manner that trousers are ordinarily hung when not in use, or which can be stored in any desired position. With the device that I have provided it is not necessary that it be hung up when the garment is in it, but it is equally eiective when placed in any convenient position.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a garment press of the general character referred to that involves few simple inexpensive parts. Iihe device of the present invention involves, essentially, a baseboard, a press board, and a spring clamp means by which the press board is held over a garment arranged on the baseboard so the garment is eectively clamped or pressed. A

It is a further object of my present invention to provide a garment press of the general character referred to that is very simple and convenient to operate. Through the construction that I have provided the simple parts that are involved are easily and quickly arranged together in a manner to effectively clamp a garment, and

can be very easily and quickly disengaged to press that I have provided, showing a pair of trousers arranged therein. Fig. 2 is `an edge or side elevation of the device, as shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a reduced front view of the base board of the press showing the other parts of the structure removed therefrom. Fig. 4 is a face or front view of the press board showing it apart from the other elements of the structure. Fig. 5 is a face or front view of the spring clamp unit employed to clamp the press board to the garment arranged on the baseboard, showing the spring unit removed from the other elements of the structure and in the position that it assumes when removed from the other parts of the structure. Fig. 6 is an edge view of the spring unit, being a view taken as indicated by line lB--B on Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detailed transverse sectional view of the structure being a view taken as indicated by line 1 1 on Fig. l. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detailed sectional View taken as indicated by line 8-8 on Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is an enlarged view taken as indicated by line 9 9 on Fig. 1. Fig. 10 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken as indicated by line Ill-Ill on Fig. 1, and Figs. 11 and 12 are side views and plan views, respectively, showing a modied latch means that may be employed in carrying out the invention.

The press that I have provided can be used to advantage to hold or press various garments. However, since it is particularly useful for handling trousers I will describe it in a form designed for such garments and will refer to it as a trouser press, but do not wish to thereby restrict or limit its use to any particular type or iorm of garment.

The press involves, generally, three principal elements, namely a baseboard ID, a press board Il and a spring unit l2 which acts to yieldingly urge the press board toward the baseboard, so that a garment between the parts is eectively pressed. The `construction involves other elements such as hook means I3 by which one end of the spring unit is hooked to the base board and latch means I4 by which the other end of the spring unit is latched to the haseboard.

The base board I includes a iiat plain board or 'panel l5 having a flat smooth face I6 to receive the garment G to be pressed. The panel I5 may be a plate or panel of metal or it may be formed of wood. In practice it is advantageous to form the panel l5 of a sheet of plywood which is sufciently heavy to be rigid under the conditions hereinafter described. The panel l5 may be of any size and shape so long as it is suiciently large to accommodate the portion of the garment G which is to be pressed. In the case of a trouser press such as I am describing it is desirable to taper the panel so that it corresponds generally to the shape of the trousers to be pressed when the trousers are laid out fiat or in the position in which they are ordinarily hung. The panel I5 is made long enough to amply accommodate the portion of the garment t be pressed, which in the case of a pair of trousers is the leg portion, and it is made wide enough to accommodate the width of the garment, leaving a margin at either side.

The baseboard II] preferably includes, in addition to the panel I5, side rails I8 which extend; lengthwise of the side edges of the panel and serve as a stiffening or reinforcing means for the panel I5. In the particular case illustrated the rails I8 are shown rectangular in cross section and are grooved at I9 to receive the edges of the panel I5. The rails I8 are formed of wood or metal and are s0 proportioned as to effectively stiifen and reinforce the "panel I and they are made such as to accommodate the means I3 and I4 as will be hereinafter described.

The base board I0 is preferably provided at one end with a handle extension 2li. In the case of a trouser press such as I have illustrated it is desirable to provide the handle extension 24] at the narrow or Small end of the board, which end of the structure will be referred to as the upper end, since it is the end that will be up when the device is hung in a closet or the like. The handle extension 2t may be formed by an integral continuation of the panel I5 in which there is an opening or aperture 2l formed to leave a transverse part 2.2 which forms a convenient grip by which the device can be handled. It is desirable, in practice, to provide a means to facilitate hang* ing the structure and this means may involve a simple hanger or hook 23 carried by the grip portion 22 to project therefrom, as clearly shown in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings. In the preferred form of the invention the hook 23 is looped at 23a to engage a pin 22e secured to the grip as shown in Fig. 1. The hook can then be folded back upon the baseboard I I3 so that it does not afford an obstruction when not in use.

The press board I I is in the nature of a cover or pressure plate that is arranged over the garment after it has been applied to the baseboard I Il. The press board is preferably shaped and proportioned to correspond, generally, to the shape and proportioning of the panel I5 of the baseboard. Where the panel I5 is tapered to correspond to the shape of the legs of a pair of trousers the press board is correspondingly shaped as I have shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. In practice it is advantageous to make the press board a simple plain board shaped substantially as shown in Fig. 4 and having a smooth face 24 to oppose the face I6 of the base board.

The spring unit I2 is adapted to be connected to the baseboa-rd IU by the means I3 and lli s0 that it engages the press board II to yieldingly urge it toward the face I6 of the baseboard. In the preferred form of the invention the spring unit involves one or more leaf springs 3i) and the unit has projections at its ends to cooperate with the means I3 and l. In the construction illus` trated the spring unit involves two leaf springs 36 joined at one end by a cross bar 3l and at the other end by a cross bar 32. Where the press board Il and the baseboard IIB are tapered, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, it is desirable to arrange the springs '3D so the spring unit is shaped to correspond to the boards. In the particular case illustrated the spring units :iii are angularly related so that they are close together at one e: i where they are joined by the bar 3i and are wide apart at the other end where they are joined by the bar 32.

The bar 3| which joins the ends of the springs 3U at the narrow end of the structure may be joined or coupled to the springs in any suitable manner. In the case illustrated the springs have end portions 33 that are wrapped around or which embrace the rod 3l. The rod 3l serves to form the projections for cooperating with the means I. For this purpose the end portions Sli of the rod 3i project from the springs 3i? as clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The rod which joins the springs Sil at the wide end of the structure may be joined with the springs in any suitable manner. In the case illustrated the springs have portions 35 that wrap around or embrace vthe rod to hold it. The rod c2 has end portions 36 projecting from the springs t@ to form projections which cooperate with the means I3.

The springs 3@ are leaf springs and are preferably fabricated frorn thin spring steel bowed or made concavo-convex as shown in Fig. 6. With the spring unit bowed as just described and as clearly shown in Fig. 6, the desired pressure against the press board II is gained when the unit is flexed tn a flat position where it bears on the press board throughout its length.

The hook means I3 provided for releasably coupling the spring unit to the base board is confined to one end of the structure, preferably to the large or wide end', as shown in the drawings, and it preferably involves a hook at each edge ofl the structure or, in other words, a ho n to hold each of the projections In the preferred construction illustrated the two units of the hook means I3 are located at the rails I8. The structure illustrated in Fig. 10 involves a notch 4G in each rail and a plate II attached to the top of the yrail as by screws 42, so that it has a tongue 43 overhanging the notch forming a recess between the bottom of the notch and the tongue, in which the projections 3c can be re tained. The notches Il!! are at the ends of the rails I8 so that the recesses just described open at the end of the structure. To apply the spring unit to the hook means it is merely necessary to engage projections 36 at the wide end of the spring unit under the tongues 43. If desired the outer ends 45 yof the tongues can be bent Yin slightly so that the projections will not become accidentally displaced and making it necessary that the tongues be flexed somewhat Yin applying the projections to or removing them Afrom the recesses.

The latch means I4 is located at the other end of the structure and in the case illustrated is at the narrow end of the structure. The latch means I4 is preferably formed of two units or brackets. to engage the two projections 34 of the spring unit and each latch unit may involve a simple latch plate 50 with a flange 5IV secured to the underneath portion of panel I5 of the base board, as by vscrews 52. Each bracket has a projecting spring tongue portion 53 with an aperture 54 to receive one. of the projections 3s. It is preferred that the upper or projecting end portion of each tongue y53 be turned outwardly somewhat as .shown in Fig. 8 to facilitate latching of the projection 34 into the opening E4. When the parts are arranged as shown in Fig. 8 `the spring unit is effectively latched to the baseboard and it will be apparent that the spring unit can be readily released by merely deflecting the tongues i5.?, outwardly in the direction indicated by the arrow Ain Fig. 8.

The modified form of latch means illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12 involves a loop or ring 60 pivotally carried by the baseboard to be swung between an in position where it overhangs the projection 34 and an out position such as is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 12, where it clears the projection 34 allowing the spring unit to be free of the base part.

1n using the press that I have provided the trousers or other garments to be pressed can be carefully laid on the surface I6 of the panel I5 so that the creases occur in the manner finally desired. The press board H is then arranged over the garment so the garment is confined between the board Il and the panel l5. To gain the desired pressure or clamping action between the press board II and the panel l the spring unit I2 is first hooked to the board l0 by the means I3 by engaging the projections 36 under the tongues 43. The other or narrow end of the spring unit is then pressed down or toward the press board l l until the projections 34 latch into the openings 54 of the tongues 53, or until they are in a position to receive the rings 60 if the modified form of construction is employed. With the latch means engaged to hold the projections 34 the structure is set with the garment effectively clamped between the board Il and the panel l5 and it can be handled in any suitable manner. For instance it can be arranged in a trunk for transportation, or it can be laid in any desired position, or it can be conveniently hung by means of the hook 23 so that it hangs in a closet or on a hook in much the manner that trousers are ordinarily hung. When it is desired to use the garment or to remove it from the press it is merely necessary to disengage the latch means from the projections 34, then unhook the projections 36 from the tongues 43, whereupon the panel I l is free to be moved from the garment so the garment can be lifted from the panel l5.

Having described only typical preferred forms and applications of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. A press of the character described including, an elongate base board, an elongate press board overlying the base board to clamp a garment thereto, an elongate spring unit overlying the press board, and means releasably coupling the ends of the spring unit to the base board to yieldingly urge the press board toward the base board, the spring unit including two elongate laterally spaced leaf springs and bars connecting the springs at the ends of the unit and having laterally projecting ends at the ends of the unit, the said means including hooks at the corners of the base board at one end thereof receiving the projecting ends of the bar at one end of the unit and latches at the corners of the base board at the other end thereof receiving the projecting ends of the bar at the other end of the unit, the base board including a at panel and rails at the longitudinal edges of the panel reinforcing the panel, the said hooks being carried by the rails.

2. A press of the character described including, an elongate base board, an elongate press board overlying the base board to clamp a garment thereto, an elongate spring unit overlying the press board, and means releasably coupling the ends of the spring unit to the base board to yieldingly urge the press board toward the base board, the spring unit including two elongate leaf springs and bars connecting the springs at the ends of the unit and having ends projecting laterally of the unit at the ends of the unit, the said means including hooks receiving said projecting ends at one end of the spring unit and spring latches operating transversely of the press receiving said projecting ends at the other end of the spring unit, the base board including a panel and rails at the longitudinal edges of the panel reinforcing the panel, the said hooks and latches being carried by the rails.

ARTHUR D. BENSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent;

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 596,034 Tyler et al Dec. 21, 1897 817,108 Fenner Apr. 3, 1906 847,392 Woodmancy Mar. 19, 1907 900,051 Albert Sept, .29, 1908 1,123,736 Hardy Jan.. 5, 1915 1,486,433 Hogan Mar. 11, 1924 

